Leg brace for folding tables



NOV. 15, 1932. FOX 1,888,117

LEG BRACE FOR FOLDING TABLES Filed Jan. ,16, 1931 Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARTIN FOX, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE SENG COMPANY, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS LEG BRACE FOR FOLDING TABLES Application filed January 16, 1931.. Serial No. 509,198.

My invention relates to joined braces for furniture and more especially to that general t pe used in connection with tables having the legs hin ed to the top so as to fold against the undersi e thereof.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a break-joint metal brace or prop of this kind which will firmly hold the legs in extended position with the sections of the brace securely locked against accidental breaking of the joint and in which the lock joint may be easily and conveniently manipulated in folding the legs and brace against the underside of the top for compact arrange-f ment when the table is knocked down for storage or for shipment. I

My invention also contemplates a formof metal brace for use in connection with articles of furniture that is light in construction consistent with the required strength, can be manufactured at small cost, and in which the form of the jointedsections may be readily modified for application to the cooperating parts of the particular article-of furniture or table for which thebrace is in tended to be used.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the brace is constructed of sections or members pivoted together and connected at 80 their outer ends to the underside of the top of the table and to the legs respectively, with a spring catch on one of the sections engaging a companion section when the brace is unfolded with the legs for holding the latter in extended position, all as hereinafter fully described and more specifically set forth in the appended claims. In the drawing 2- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application ofmy brace to a form of table construction.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of another form of table construction with the brace applied.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view illustrating the construction of the brace.

Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof, and Fig. 5 is a sectional end view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In carrying out my invention the section of the brace which is attached to the table top and formed of a strip of metal, preferably steel, is bent upon itself to provide spaced apart members 10, 11 connected at one end by the crosspiece 12, said section being pivoted at its outer end to an attaching plate 13 in- 5 tcrposed between the members and having cars 14 to which the members are pivoted by pins 15, while the other sections 16 and 17 of the brace are pivotally connected by pins 18 to the outer sides of the members 10, 11 of the companion section and are bent outwardly therefrom at a short distance from the pivot pins for attachment at their outer ends to the legs of the table.

The pivoted sections forming the jointed members are adapted to be folded to lie against the-underside of the top of the table, and for the purpose of firmly holding the sections on a line with each other and locking them in this position when the legs of the 7 table are extended that portion of the inner end of the section 16 which extends parallel to theside member 10 of the companion section is provided with a notch 16a engaged by a spring catch 22 at the outer end of said member. For the purpose of attaching this spring catch to. the sections 10, 11 of the brace, an angle plate 19 is fixed to the crosspiece 12 by rivets 20 with thelower member thereof to which the catch is secured by rivo ets 23, 23 extending across the underside of the spaced apart members of the brace section 10, 11, the ends of said lower member of the angle plate projecting slightly beyond the opposite sides of the brace-section to form 35 stops 21 against which the sections 16 and 17 will strike when the brace is extended. As will be noted by reference to Figs. 3 and 4 the catch projects upwardly from the outer end of the stop 21 beyond the member 10 of the brace section to which the companion sections 16 and 17 are pivoted,,with the bill of the catch extending inwardly so as to spring into engagement with the notch 16a of section 16 when the latter swings outwardly from closed position -(Fig. 3) to unclosed position (Fig.4) the said section of the brace passing between the-bill'of the catch and the adjoining s de of the companion brace section to force the catch outward'until the bill registers with the notch at which time said section is in engagement with the stop 21 thereby locking the sections of the brace in extended position.-

The jointed members hereinbefore described may be employed in various situations for supporting one part of an article of furniture with respect to another, as for instance in bracing the legs of folding tables for banquets, caterers, sample rooms, etc., in which the legs are hinged to the underside of the top to fold against the same with the folding of the. brace, and of course is applicable to different forms of table constructions examples of which are shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the application of my invention to the referred form of folding table shown in Eig. 1 the outer ends of the sections 16 and 17 of the jointed members are pivoted directly to the legs of the table, in this instance the legs25 being connected at their inner ends by a crossbar 26 for swinging attachment to the top of the table by metal straps 27, 27, with the legs braced to said crosspiece by rods 28; while in the form of folding table shown in Fig. 2 the legs 29, 29 are each hinged to the top of the table by angle plates 30, 30 with the members 16 and 17 of the jointed brace connected to a crosspiece 31 spaced from the inner ends of the legs. In each instance the legs when folded against the underside of the top of the table are held in this position by means of catches 32 pivoted to the table top adjoining the end of the jointed brace which is attached to said top.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I provide a jointed metal brace for furniture, particularly folding tables, which may be readily applied by first attaching the outer ends of the sections 16 and 17 directly to the legs or crosspiece connecting the same with both the said legs and jointed brace extended so that the inner end of the brace carrying the attaching plate 12 pivoted thereto can be located in proper position on the underside of the top of the table to which it is secured. In folding the legs of the table against the top it is necessary only to release the catch by pressure on the projecting end thereof when, the joint can be broken to permit the leg brace to be folded .or closed with the legs, the parts being then held in folded position by the pivoted catch 32 and in folding the table the legs are released by turning the pivoted catch out of engagement therewith and said legs then extended or swung outwardly which operation will also unfold the jointed brace'so that the sections thereof will be on a line with each other and engaged by the spring catch to lock the brace in extended position.

I claim 1. A jointed brace for articles of furniture comprising sections pivoted together for folding one upon another, the inner end of one of the sections projecting beyond the pivotal connection, a spring catch attached to said section at one side thereof and having an inwardly projecting portion at its outer end, and a section of the brace pivoted to the aforesaid section at one side of the catch and adapted to be engaged by the latter when the sections are in extended position.

2. A jointed metal brace for articles of furniture comprising sections pivoted together for folding one upon another, one of the sections having an attaching plate pivoted to the outer end thereof and a companion section having a notch near its pivot end, and a spring catch on the first mentioned section engaging the aforesaid notch.

3. A ointed metal brace for articles of furniture comprising a sectionformed of a furniture comprising a section formed of a flat bar bent upon itself, an attaching plate pivoted between the members of the section opposite the connected ends thereof, sections pivoted to the members near the connected ends thereof, oneof the members having a notch in an edge thereof, and a spring catch secured to the first mentioned section of the brace to engage the notch when the sections are extended.

5. A jointed metal brace for articles of furniture comprising a section formed of a fiat bar bent upon itself, an attaching plate pivoted between said members opposite the connected ends thereof, companion sections pivoted to said members, one of the last mentioned sections having a notch in one of the edges thereof, an angle plate secured to the first mentioned section, and a spring catch secured to the angle plate and adapted to engage the aforesaid notch when the sections are extended.

6. A jointed metal brace for articles of furniture comprising a section formed of a fiat bar bent upon itself, and sections pivoted to the opposite sides of the members of said section; one of the last mentioned sections having a notch in one edge thereof; together with a spring catch attached to the companion section at one side thereof for engaging the notch when the sections are extended.

7. In combination with a folding table in which the legs are hinged to the top, of a brace comprising a section formed of a metal bar bent upon itself, a plate pivoted between the members of the section at the opposite end from the crosspiece connecting the members of said section for attaching the brace to the top of the table,sections pivoted to the op posite sides of the aforementioned brace section and connected at their outer ends to the legs of the table, one of the last mentioned sections having a. notch in an edge thereof, and a spring catch carried by the section attached to the table for engaging the notch to hold the sections of the brace extended.

MARTIN FOX. 

